April 10, 2025

Rep. Hoyle Introduces Vote at Home Act to Improve Americans’ Access to the Ballot Box

Introduction comes as House Republicans bring forward the SAVE Act, which threatens to jeopardize millions of Americans’ ability to vote

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) introduced the Vote at Home Act to provide a new path forward on voting that makes elections more accessible, more secure, and more affordable. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) also intends to introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

House Republican leadership also brought the SAVE Act to the floor for a vote today – a bill that threatens to put at risk the ability for millions of Americans to register to vote. This includes 69 million married women who have changed their last name, and 140 million Americans who do not have a passport.

Conversely, the Vote at Home Act expands vote by mail initiatives which several states, including Oregon, have found successfully increases voter participation. This was also the case nationally in 2020, when despite a global pandemic, the general election had record high turnout as a result of more vote by mail options. Vote by mail also lowers the cost of holding elections. For example, after the state of Oregon adopted vote by mail, the cost of administering an election dropped nearly 30 percent.

“Oregon was the first state to enact full vote by mail in 1995, an effort led by both Democratic and Republican Secretaries of State,” said Rep. Hoyle. “We have seen the positive impact that mail in voting has had in Oregon – not only does it improve access for eligible voters, but every ballot has a paper copy making it the most secure form of voting. Voting is a Constitutionally protected right and I’ll fight to make sure every eligible voter can make their voice heard. I am proud to introduce legislation that does exactly that.”

“For years, Oregonians have been casting their ballot right from the comfort of their own home,” Sen. Wyden said. “Voting at home is not only efficient and secure, but it also gives working Americans who can’t afford to go off the clock the ability to exercise their fundamental right to vote. With Trump and his MAGA pals trying to take away voting rights for millions of Americans, it’s more important than ever for Congress to do right by the American people by ensuring they can make their voices heard in the 2026 elections and have a government that represents them.”

The Vote at Home Act is endorsed by the National Vote at Home Institute, Stand Up America, End Citizens United/Let America Vote Action Fund, and the Institute for Responsive Government Action.

Barbara Smith Warner, the Executive Director of the National Vote at Home Institute: "If you want to support and strengthen our democracy, there's no better way than to support Vote at Home election systems. When every active registered voter automatically receives a mailed out paper ballot, several weeks before every election; can return them by postage-free mail or in person to a wide range of accessible, convenient and secure locations; and can track them online, in real time, to ensure their vote is counted, we all win.”

Brett Edkins, Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America: “Voting by mail is essential for millions of Americans––including working people, college students, rural residents, and seniors––who rely on it to make their voices heard. It provides a secure and convenient way to cast our ballots, especially for those who face challenges getting to the polls due to long distances, hectic work schedules, and other barriers. The Vote at Home Act is a crucial step toward strengthening our democracy by ensuring every voter has the option to cast their ballot from home, return it with a pre-paid envelope, and be automatically registered at their local DMV. We are grateful to Senator Wyden and Representative Hoyle for continuing to champion the freedom to vote in Congress.”

Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United Action Fund: “While Republicans in Congress and across the country try to make it harder for women, seniors, and young voters to cast a ballot, Congresswoman Hoyle and Senator Wyden are fighting to protect every American’s ability to vote without unnecessary barriers. The Vote at Home Act meets this moment by expanding access, increasing security, and making the voting process more convenient. This commonsense solution will ensure that more Americans can make their voices heard in government. We thank Congresswoman Hoyle and Senator Wyden for their continued leadership in defending our Constitutional right to the ballot box.”

This bill is co-sponsored by 13 of Rep. Hoyle's colleagues, including Reps. Bonamici (OR-01), Carson (IN-07), Chu (CA-28), Deluzio (PA-17), Dexter (OR-03), (Hank) Johnson (GA-04), Norton (DC-AL), Salinas (OR-06), Schakowsky (IL-09), Tlaib (MI-12), Tonko (NY-20), Veasey (TX-33), and Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

The text of the Vote at Home Act is available here.

Background

The Vote at Home Act

  • Gives voters more choices in how they cast their ballots, by making it more convenient to participate in federal elections.

  • Ensures all voters have a chance to research their ballots. By sending all registered voters their ballot weeks before Election Day, voters will have the opportunity to carefully study the candidates and issues before casting their ballots. 

  • Increases voter participation by ensuring that all citizens are automatically registered to vote. Voters will then be allowed to opt out if they so choose. 

  • Funds the U.S. Postal Service by increasing their budget to cover all costs associated with this legislation. 

  • Saves states money by allowing them to transition away from heavily staffed in-person polling locations.

SAVE Act

  • Under the SAVE Act over 20 million Americans would become ineligible to vote and those who have changed their name, for example in marriage, could also be purged from voter rolls.

  • Last month, President Trump issued an Executive Order that included many of the SAVE Act’s prescriptions which makes it more difficult to vote and requires onerous additional verification when registering.

  • Many of the SAVE Act’s provisions can be found in a similar New Hampshire law that took effect this year. Under this law, women who had changed their name in marriage were forced to re-register to vote and provide proof of their name change before obtaining their registration.

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